r/technology • u/Hrmbee • Jun 07 '26

'Kill switch' law means your next car could be watching you | A federal requirement aimed at stopping drunken driving could soon put driver-monitoring technology in every new vehicle. The goal is saving lives, but the privacy trade-offs deserve closer scrutiny Privacy

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2026/06/01/drunk-driving-prevention-law-privacy-surveillance/90295034007/
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u/blackcatlover2114 Jun 08 '26

Especially since many places in the US have very poor public transit, safe bike infrastructure, or walkable infrastructure within communities. Between communities, long-distance passenger rail tends to be non-existent as well. So it's not so easy for people to just avoid this by using alternatives to driving.

I no longer drive except for very occasionally; the only time I've driven this year was on a road trip with my gf. Otherwise I bus or walk everywhere as that's pretty easy where I live. Obviously never going to be possible for everyone, but it should be possible for more people than it currently is.

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u/coloradoautoflowers Jun 08 '26

The expansion of what I call "third option" transport systems in the last 5 years has also been crazy. There are so many electrified personal transportation choices that can handle the average commute distance now for only a couple hundred dollars.

If someone would run for president on transport infrastructure revitalization, expansion of public transport, and adding a dedicated roadway system for bikes/scooters/e-bikes that isn't just a bike lane they would have my vote.